Secret Valley Golf Club

Par 72 (5,904m) Handicap Men 28, Women 36Prices from €48 per round Difficulty Back 9 holes are very challenging

The Secret Valley Golf Club is probably the most prestigious golf course in Cyprus, located in the famous area of Petra tou Romiou, the birthplace of Aphrodite, 18km east of Paphos and 49km west of Limassol.

Opened in 1996, the Secret Valley golf course, designed by Iacovos Iacovou, nestles in a scenic valley, surrounded by grand trees which add an aura of maturity to this fairly new golf course. The Sty Kingly rock formation offers panoramic views, giving golfers both the beauty of nature and the pleasure of golf.

The golf course measures 5,904m and plays to a par 71, and players without a handicap certificate can play after noon on request, depending on availability.

The facilities at the Secret Valley clubhouse in Cyprus offer a fully stocked pro shop, locker rooms, bar, a restaurant with verandas overlooking the golf course, putting greens, chipping areas, fairway bunkers, a large driving range, buggy rental, trolley rental (electrical and manual) and locker rental. Tuition is tailored to individual needs and can be conducted on a one-to-one or group basis.

For those who would like to explore Cyprus further, there is a myriad of restaurants and bars in downtown Paphos to enjoy day or night.

The Secret Valley golf course has some of the most tasteful villas and apartments built to accommodate the large number of golfers it gets each year, and even people living or staying in Larnaca or Limassol and the surrounding villages such as Souni, with its beautifully designed pine villas, Kalogiri and Pissouri find the trip to the Secret Valley golf course worthwhile.

Review

by David James, Broadstairs, Kent

An excellent course with good facilities. We only played nine holes of Ryder Cup golf and really enjoyed it. We went out early morning and there was virtually nobody else on any of the holes, which added to the enjoyment as we could take our time. The club house was clean and bright and we had breakfast which was good value and served with a smile.

Course 8/10 Club House 8/10

Review

by Andrew Dixon, Gatton Manor Golf Club, Surrey

I played all three courses in the Paphos area and was disappointed with the Secret Valley experience. The course is set in magnificent surroundings, unfortunately that was all I enjoyed about the day.

The fairways were patchy and bare in places; we played preferred lies, which is essential for anybody looking to play a reasonable standard of golf. The greens appeared diseased in places and looked long overdue for a cut. Generally the layout is acceptable and reasonably challenging. The first few holes are rather boring but don't despair, things improve as the round progresses and the back nine contains a couple of picturesque holes.

I think our disappointment was mainly due to the fact we had played the stunning Aphrodite Hills Golf Course the day before. If you are a serious golfer and want value for money, Aphrodite Hills would be my recommendation.

Course 4/10 Club House 8/10

Review

by Peter Jackson, Great Barford, Bedfordshire

Four of us went around this course in late November and the fairways and greens were lush and colourful due to heavy rain the week before. One of the things I really liked about this course was the lack of hills. Having just played in Spain, where every other course seems to require a turbo charged buggy to get up the inclines between holes, it made a nice change.

We started off with a coffee at the club house and sat on the terrace overlooking the course, beautiful views and it really gets you in the mood to play.

Watch out for the 5th hole, which is a tricky dog leg. I managed to lose two balls in the trees at either side. My tip on this one is plan to take an extra shot to get to the green, as too much power could land you in the trees on either side.

The club house is modern and spacious and, although very friendly, it did have a more formal feel. We mingled with the regulars and found them to be welcoming and more than happy to share their tales of lost balls and "the eagle that got away". We also enjoyed a buffet lunch, which we found good value and set us up nicely for another nine holes in the afternoon.

The Secret Valley golf course is definitely worth a visit. If you can go late in the year, when the course has had some rain, the lush green fairways make the experience all the better; you are also less likely to get sunburn.

We also rented one of the villas at Secret Valley for a week, which I have to say was very good value and both the house and the pool were spotless.

Course 8/10 Club House 9/10

Review

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